1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to irrigation systems and methods. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for securing and interconnecting wires between a plurality of valves and a control unit such as a timer.
2. Description of Related Art
Irrigation not only permits foodstuffs to be grown, but also enables the cultivation of attractive plant life that otherwise would not have sufficient water to thrive. Many households now utilize sprinkler systems to provide irrigation in a comparatively uniform and trouble-free manner.
Often, a control unit such as a timer is used to regularly initiate operation of the sprinkler system to automatically provide the desired distribution of irrigation water. The timer is electrically connected to a plurality of electrically operated valves, each of which is able to permit water to flow into a corresponding zone of the sprinkler system. The valves must be individually activated so that the entire pressure and flow rate available will be focused on each zone, in turn.
Typically, the timer and valves are sold separately. The valves each have a pair of valve wires, which may come attached to the valves. However, a separate length of control unit wiring must be used to attach the timer to the valves. Unfortunately, the control unit wires typically do not match up, one-to-one, with the valve wires. Rather, the control unit wires typically include a plurality of “hot” wires, each of which is to be attached to one of the valves. Additionally, the control unit wires include a “common” wire, which is to be attached to all of the valves. Thus, a procedure known as “pigtailing” must be used to attach extra lengths of wire to the common wire and to each of the valves. Each wire junction is typically made through the use of a wire nut or a similar device.
This process can be somewhat confusing, especially for a homeowner unfamiliar with electrical wiring or sprinkler control systems. Wire nuts can be unreliable and difficult to install. Furthermore, it is easy to lose track of which hot wire is connected to which valve. Thus, the homeowner may be forced to resort to trial-and-error attachment of the hot wires to the timer until the desired timer connections are coupled to the proper valves.
Furthermore, the wire nut connections will often be stowed within a manifold box, near the valves. If a leak occurs, the manifold box may fill with water. Thus, the wire nuts must often be covered by grease caps designed to keep water from the electrical connections. The grease caps present a further step to be carried out by the homeowner, who may well be unfamiliar with their use.
Hence, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an apparatus and method by which the valve wires and control unit wires may more easily be connected together. Furthermore, it would be an advancement in the art to provide such an apparatus and method, in which the common wire may be connected to all of the valve wires without requiring the use of extra lengths of wire. Yet further, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an apparatus and method by which control unit wires and valve wires may be easily connected together in an watertight fashion.